This is the one, kiddies!! Get your facelifted 9-5 front end, less than 24 hours old (at the time of writing) right here!!

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. That was my first impression. First, what a clear shot! Second, it doesn't look like the 9X enough. It's too rounded and not well, clearly Saab. But I do like it, sort of. I don't know, too many simultaneous conflicting feelings. I'll have to get back to this.

. That was my first impression. First, what a clear shot! Second, it doesn't look like the 9X enough. It's too rounded and not well, clearly Saab. But I do like it, sort of. I don't know, too many simultaneous conflicting feelings. I'll have to get back to this.

Wow... you took the words right out of my mouth. I can't tell, but it appears that there's some interesting headlight action going on. I like the foglight cutouts. Very nice.

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the front end is nice, in terms of i don't see anything majorly wrong with it. (i'm not a big fan of the vertical curve line in the side grills, though. donno, maybe it's to go with the horizontal curve line in the fog light area. it doesn't seem to be 9x-ish.)

anyway, the real test will be to see the back end, especially the tail-light design. (i'm keeping my fingers crossed that they don't have the uneven, bmw lines, which would be 1) derivative; and 2) ugly.)

thank you very much, swade, for your exciting post; and djup, for your, um, cell talents.

Just a question, but is this a Bryan Nesbitt design or somebody else? If it is Nesbitt's work, this is definetely a glimpse into the future of design for Saab. Not bad, it just takes a little getting used to.

it looks good....but i guess we need some time to get used to the new look. I agree with you "saab 9x" it doesn't look like the 9x at all (okay maybe a little)....it would be a lot nicer if they didn't include the indicating signal with the headlight in the same frame.

Thanks Swade for the post....keep up the good work. In fact i've seen the spyshot on your site first...and i was almost sure that you would post it here.

Aladdin, you'd be the first Saabist I've heard of from Saudi Arabia. Welcome!!

Ken, hard night last night?

This is the most promising pic I've seen. It lends a lot more comfort than previous shots, which really did remind of Hyundai or Camry. this shot seems to retain some semblance of Saab. the outer ports being merged with the headlights is a new idea (well, the idea of a production car with it on is anyway). It may take a little time to grow on me fully, but I'm feeling Ok about it at the moment. I'm still a little worried about the rear end of the car.

We'll see if Djup II comes up with anything else of interest in the next day or so.

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It does however state that "bilden är ett montage" = "the picture is a montage"

According to the article, the 9-5 will get the interior from GM:s latests Caddilacs! The inside still looks like a Saab though, according to the paper. (I do not understand how that would be possible...)

1 shot each of the interior, the tail and the rear of the Aero Wagon. Many thanks to Djup Strupe II for some magnificent work.

The interior works pretty well, for me anyway. I'm still wondering where the reversing lights will be for the tail, but that may be a different thing in different countries.

Cheers.

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and that's is what my father is waiting during a year and since months he paid a signal for one of them......what a ******......

I hate the round controls, i think it is the worst controls you can have in a car. It is very easy when you have buttons to control the climate or the radio with less time. If you have rounded/circle controls, first, the numbers/pictures of every control are quite small and many times you pass over the desired control and must stay more time to aim the correct control. Another think is to know where you can see what you put, temperature and other indicators, because there is no ACC Display.

It seems that there is some BMW designers there.......with the rear desgined by Audi and the front designed by a Korean.

I will prefer to see it in live, and then I hope to be wrong, but this design.....it not impresse my so much.

They tryed to do the same idea as the 9x, but there is a problem.......they make all in the wrong way.

The 9x integrate the headlamps in the grille. That makes the front of the 9x as a big Saab front grille, with the central of the grille very big and the important part of it, and the the to extra small grille that have the head lamps integrated on it and with the typical shape of the Saab Grille. Is like they maximize the typical front grill of saab.

In the 9-5 they make the contrary. They integrate the grill in the head lamps. They would like mantain the design of the head lamps and put in the two small parts of the grill, but they forgive to maximize the design the central part of the grille. The problem with that design is, that the central grille is more rounded and seems an egg, the 9x and 9-3x designs are more wide and with less space horizontally, you can see it if compare the space between the central grille and the small grilles and head lamps. In the 9-5 this space is quite big and the 9x and 9-3x are thiner because the central grille is wider and stretched from up and down.

It's evolution. This was just a facelift, remember. There's actually more significant changes there already than what the word 'facelift' would normally cause me to expect. Different looks inside and out and the possibility of an added engine to the lineup make for a pretty decent 'facelift'.

In time, those changes to a more 9x type appearance may evolve, though I doubt it would come through the 9-5 range. That replacement 9-2x (i.e. 900 inheritor) they mentioned some time ago may be a more suitable vehicle for such dramatic change.

Just my thoughts.......

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yes a big facelift......I hope that Techincally they can make a very good job. But in design, it is noticeable the gap with a visible leader in the design team. Since Mauer left and now Nesbitt and the Saab Brand Center works.

Remember that this facelift must remain the 9-5 model since 2008/09 I hope the evolution of the 9-3ss and 9-5 will hape a better Saab design and cues. Every time I look at the 9-3ss, the 9000 and 9-5 we have at home i take care of all the Saab cues they have in common, included with the old Saabs. For example the 9-3ss and the front headlamps remember me the old front of the 900, the side view and the upper part of the body it takes some cues of the 92, 93 and other models.... I think that Mauer made a very good job with the design.

another think.......thanks a lot for the pics.

It is impressive how Saab is one of the few companies that the Board of Directors must explain and to keep informed to his customers, not only the shareholders, it is like a football team or something like that, there is a passion in there that makes Saab so special and one of the strongest comunities and customer loyalty, when GM car about this definetily then we will see the reborn of Saab as we would like to see.

New 9-5 appearance .... still contemplating .... front fascia for now I'll give 7.5/10. Rear treatment I'll give 6/10 for now for lack of originality, too much like derivative of A3/A4 avant

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swade

Cheers folks,

Aladdin, you'd be the first Saabist I've heard of from Saudi Arabia. Welcome!!

Ken, hard night last night?

This is the most promising pic I've seen. It lends a lot more comfort than previous shots, which really did remind of Hyundai or Camry. this shot seems to retain some semblance of Saab. the outer ports being merged with the headlights is a new idea (well, the idea of a production car with it on is anyway). It may take a little time to grow on me fully, but I'm feeling Ok about it at the moment. I'm still a little worried about the rear end of the car.

We'll see if Djup II comes up with anything else of interest in the next day or so.